Pro EMS and Center for MEDICS Recognized for Participation in National Acute Stroke Registry and Training of Medical Students and Residents

Cambridge, MA (June 2014) – On June 19, representatives from Pro EMS and Center for MEDICS received special honors for pre-hospital stroke notification and medical student training. Pro EMS was recognized by the Massachusetts Coverdell Foundation, a chapter of the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry, for being the highest performer for pre-hospital stroke notification for a large service area, and Center for MEDICS received an award of thanks from the Cambridge Health Alliance for regular training provided to Harvard Medical School students and residents.

During the period of January 2011 through December 2013, Pro EMS paramedics reported all pre-hospital stroke patient encounters to the Massachusetts chapter of the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry (PCNASR). Funded by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the state of Massachusetts, in addition to several other states, established a reporting model to gather information from pre-hospital encounters with stroke victims to help improve patient outcomes.

The CDC established PCNASR on a directive from Congress, and named the program after the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell of Georgia, who suffered a fatal stroke in 2000 while serving in Congress. Each year, more than 700,000 Americans suffer from a stroke. Strokes are fatal for one-quarter of its victims, while a similar number remain permanently disabled afterwards. The PCNASR aims to improve the quality of care for acute stroke patients and increase public awareness of stroke treatment and prevention.

Once a month, Center for MEDICS hosts Harvard Medical School students and residents for training in a variety of skills, including simulation, IV starts, I/O access, and more. Since these training sessions are the same ones given to paramedic students at Center for MEDICS, the patient transfer process is much smoother because both parties – paramedic and ER/hospital staff – have the same expectations and knowledge.

About Professional Ambulance Service

Professional Ambulance Service (Pro EMS) provides emergency medical services to the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts in conjunction with the Cambridge Fire, Police, Emergency Communications and Public Health Departments. Additionally, Pro EMS provides emergency medical services to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professional Ambulance has proudly served the citizens, students, and visitors of Cambridge for over 35 years. For more information, visit www.proems.com or call 617.492.2700.

Cambridge, May 15, 2015 — Cambridge Fire Department, along with PRO EMS of Cambridge, have jointly received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline®EMS Silver Award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.

When officers arrive to a medical emergency involving an overdose, it usually means the person is unconscious, according to Acton Police Department Sgt. Edward Lawton, a 22-year veteran of the department and a member of the its drug unit, formed in October 2012.